Collision of elements
by dorina16able
Summary: Jean returns to his hometown for Eren and Mikasa's engagement, where he reunites with the woman he loves. Between his father's ice cold hatred and Sasha's fire, he decides to stand his ground once and for all. Modern AU


**A/N: Heyyy, people, how are you? Soooo, another one-shot is here just for you, I've been working on this story for days! Hope you guys will like it as much as I enjoyed writing it :) By the way, if you haven't watched the trailer for Attack on Titan Season 3, please do so, it's AWESOME...things are going down, my friends!**

 **Main Pairing: JeanxSasha (yeah, yeah, I know, big surprise here, lol...seriously, these two adorable babies need to become canon)**

 **Side Pairings: ErenxMikasa, AnniexBertholdt (I still don't know what to think of them, but they serve the plot so I just went with it), HitchxMarlowe and LevixHanji (only mentioned)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Attack on Titan characters**

* * *

 _No place is like home, they say._

 _No place is like the house you grew up in and where you built your first memories, they say._

 _What a load of rubbish!_

These are Jean's thoughts as he sits at dinner with his parents in the first meal they have all together in a year. One would think that the twenty-three-year old would be delighted to be back in his hometown, even if it's only temporarily for his friends' engagement and the wedding that will take place in two months…that he would be happy to be with his parents again and learn how everyone's doing. And no matter his happiness at being in the familiar grounds again, Jean feels like suffocating in his parents' house, as if he's deprived of precious air, and this sensation is even more evident when he notices his father's sharp and ice cold gaze directed towards him, like he expects his son to screw up at any moment.

"So, Jean, how's Paris? Oh, how lucky you are that you're doing your internship there, such a magical city." His mom comments with a sweet voice, as if she still thinks that Jean's in Fairyland or something.

If he wants to be honest with himself, perhaps it _would_ be a magical city if he could share it with someone special…but with his daily routine and the harsh program he has in his uncle's business, Jean can't see why everyone's making such a big fuss over it. In fact, he can even say he hates Paris for this specific reason; away as he is from everything and everyone that actually matters, it's as if the city itself only makes his loneliness even stronger instead of mending it.

"I still don't understand why you couldn't come and stay with us, though. I mean, this is your home, after all, and we've missed you so much, isn't that right, darling?" His mom changes the subject, but Jean can't help but focus on the fact that even this simple question needs his father's approval and he tightens his hand into a fist under the table. He thinks he'll never understand how his dear mom, the personification of tenderness and kindness, adores a cold and emotionless man like his dad, whose only concern is what sort of disappointment Jean's preparing for him…and how the hell she's so submissive, like she doesn't have a free will and opinions of her own.

"Ah, you know, mom, Connie and Marco have been pretty much getting on my nerves until they convinced me to stay with them. Besides, it's not like I'd spend much time in here anyway, with Eren being so nervous about the engagement party and the wedding, my guess is we'll be at his house 24/7." Jean replies, mentally thanking his best friends for allowing him to stay with them. If even family dinner is a torture, how the hell would he endure staying in here? "Now, you'll have to excuse me, we're having a reunion at Eren's and I barely have time to shower and get some rest. First time we'll be all together and all that."

"Make sure you'll pick your cousin and Miss Leonhart on your way to your friend's house." His father's voice right when he's about to exit the dining room makes Jean stop walking and look at the older man with eyes sparking angrily.

"Why the hell do I have to take Hitch wherever I freaking go? And Annie has arranged to go to Eren's with Reiner and Bertholdt, so why on freaking earth—?"

"Don't you yell at me, young man, am I clear? You'll do as I say and you'll escort Hitch and Miss Annie to your little reunion, is that understood?" Mr. Kirstein interrupts his son furiously and ignores his wife's attempts to calm down the spirits, not even caring that Jean rolls his eyes and crosses his arms in front of his chest, a sign of his own frustration. "Will _she_ be there as well?"

And it's this question that deprives Jean of all his anger and leaves only a bitter sensation behind as countless memories invade his mind…memories about brunet hair dancing in the breeze, tender hazel eyes that shine like gold, a cheerful laughter and sweet moments he has imprinted in his mind like shattered pieces of a period of time when he could face the whole world if it meant being with her.

The next second, though, the anger towards his father returns tenfold: for the man's audacity to talk about her like she's nothing more than rubbish, for his persistence to interfere in his life in any way he can, for practically forcing him into a future match with someone he doesn't even love only to expand his business, without caring that both he and Annie are in love with completely different people.

" _She_ has a name, you know," he only hisses, mustering all his self-control in order to keep his voice calm, because his father is like ice, pure, cruel ice that can cut anyone into pieces…his whole existence reflects this freezing cold and hatred and Jean even feels shivers under the man's intimidating glare.

"I asked you a question."

"And I made a statement!" Jean replies, his voice now shaking due to suppressed emotions and everything he wishes he could say to that man who's never really cared about him…and for a moment, as he rushes out of his parents' house to drive to Connie and Marco's apartment, his mind returns to another father figure he was lucky enough to meet.

"M-Maybe you should be more lenient towards him?" Mrs. Kirstein asks her husband after a small hesitation, sad to see him constantly arguing with their son and even sadder to see Jean leave like that. "Maybe you should give that young lady a chance, Jean seems to really care about her."

"Jean is young and acting on impulse, without knowing what's truly beneficial for him. Believe me, in a few years he'll thank me."

* * *

"Heyyyy, why so tense, Jean-boy?" His cousin Hitch taunts him after he picks her from her house two hours later. "Feeling so bad doing your favorite cousin a favor to drive her to the gathering?"

"Who said anything about 'favorite' here?" Jean mumbles, focusing on the road instead of Hitch's nonsense as he wonders, for the millionth time, what the hell he's done to the universe to get punished with relatives like her. "And it's not a favor, just wanted to avoid more bickering with my father."

"Ouch, you're killing me right now, Kirstein!" Hitch giggles as she places a hand over her heart, pretending to be insulted. "Taking out your nerves because your little farm girl will be there, eh?"

"Shut up, Hitch, or I swear I'm leaving you right here, find a way to Eren's alone for all I care! You don't know her, you don't care to know her, so don't put her in your mouth, got it? And for the second time today, _she has a name!_ "

Hitch's laughter causes a loud sigh from Jean as he continues driving and tries to shut out the last harsh words his cousin uttered. His hands are shaking and he grabs the steering wheel even tighter; an attempt to control his emotions and not scream out loudly. In order to calm down he imagines _her_ , just like he does during his bad moments in Paris; he can picture her as clearly as the last time he saw her, every detail he learnt to love on her and that strength of hers…she was always so unaffected by the despise of close-minded people who underestimate her only because they have more money than her family.

 _Money isn't the hell everything…and I'd give everything to have the family life you had_ , he thinks now and recalls how proud he had felt of her when he first met her parents, so simpler, much kinder and way more well-behaved than the arrogant society circles he grew up in, where a successful job and a good marriage is all everyone cared about.

Thank God they've arrived at Annie's house and Jean briefly nods at her as she enters the car, while she returns the gesture. Both of them pawns in the same game between their families, two unwilling participants in expectations neither one of them has asked for and after reaching a mutual, silent agreement that they won't go through with this and that they'll make this clear soon enough.

Jean has to suppress a chuckle as he wonders how Annie's parents will react at the news that the daughter they consider the perfect successor actually shares none of their views, is frustrated of their snobbish demeanor and secretly dates a book store employee; a fact only Jean himself knows and won't ever reveal without her consent. He knows the guy, friends from high school, and he can understand why he managed to find a place in the usually emotionless and distant Annie.

 _It's irritating, but it sure as hell feels good to be the black sheep of the family…not that the only reason Sasha's in my mind is to have some rebellion against my dad_.

"So, Annie, considering that Jaeger and Ackerman are getting married in two months, should we expect another wedding soon?" Hitch addresses the blond and now Jean is literally fighting against the urge to yell at her and leave her right where they are; this isn't even the engagement party, it's just a gathering between friends before the big event, so Hitch wouldn't be with him anyway if it weren't for his father's persistence.

 _Of course, after all he needs a spy to make sure that no one 'unworthy' will try to make a move or something_ , he mentally states and rolls his eyes, although Annie's comment makes him beam widely.

"And considering the engagement and wedding and all that lovey-dovey stuff, should we expect you to continue desperately trying to get Marlowe's attention and then sulk and be rude to everyone because he's not even turning around to look at you?"

"HA, take that, Dreyse, anything to say now?" Jean exclaims with a devious smirk because he's absolutely sure that the only reason Hitch is so persistent on getting on his nerves about all that jazz with his family is because she's going through the exact same thing, the same thing she used to despise.

Hopelessly in love with someone her parents would never allow her to date because of his status and angry at the fact that said guy doesn't even acknowledge her presence; not even when they are in the same room and at common gatherings because of mutual friends. Still, Jean thinks that she's the luckiest one because she hasn't experienced what he did in the past, all this drama and dilemma and arguing and the forced break-up when his father arranged the internship in Paris without even asking him and Sasha couldn't follow him.

 _Practically, all three of us in a similar situation…what a joyous atmosphere we are!_

* * *

Once they arrive at the apartment Eren and Mikasa share, he gets separated from the girls and goes to greet the young couple. Still, he throws a look at them: Annie is making small talk with Krista and Ymir, although he can see the glares towards her secret boyfriend, Bertholdt, who's conversing with his best friend Reiner and sometimes looks at her as well. Jean feels kinda sorry for her; at least his own relationship, no matter the hatred of his environment, was open and loving; they didn't have to hide their feelings out of fear for getting spotted by his meddlesome cousin. Said meddlesome cousin, on the other hand, has already gone to see if Marlowe's here and Jean shakes his head laughing; who is Hitch trying to fool here? Still, he can feel her sharp gaze on him, watching, calculating, waiting for one small movement to tell his parents everything.

"Hey, look who's come back from Paris!" Eren greets him with a loud laughter and a friendly pat on the back. "Didn't think you'd make it, Kirstein, heard Paris is too beautiful to ever leave it."

"Please, as if I'd miss the event of the century, I even made an arrangement with my uncle to stay until the wedding. By the way, don't you think you guys are having the wedding too close to the engagement? What, you scared Mikasa will leave you in the last minute?" Jean teases his friend, since it's obvious even to a child that Mikasa won't ever leave Eren, not even if the world ends.

"Nah, it's just…it took me so long to wake up, I just can't wait to start this chapter with her." Eren explains with a fond smile and Jean can't disagree to that. It _had_ taken Eren too long to wake up, years and years of Mikasa showing her deep affection for him and him ignoring it. In fact, when these two announced their relationship no one was actually surprised that they were finally together; they only erupted into cheers and told them it was about freaking time.

At this moment, the future bride makes her appearance and Jean greets and congratulates her with a hug and a caress on her shoulder, throwing her the trademark mocking comments about how condolences are in order and where she had her mind when she fell in love with Eren. Despite the death glare Mikasa shoots him at that, like always when someone insults her precious fiancé, Jean laughs it off, genuinely glad that the rivalry he initially had with Eren when he first moved here in senior year belongs in the past.

But then his eyes fall on the woman standing next to Mikasa and all air disappears from the room as he's staring at Sasha Blouse for the first time in a year and it feels like there's no one else in the room; as if Hitch isn't in the near distance ready to report everything to his father. Mikasa, understanding the situation at once, quickly drags Eren away with some excuse or other, leaving them looking at each other as if they're meeting for the first time.

God, she looks just the same, with that earthly beauty of hers, her usually tied hair now falling free under her shoulders, giving Jean the urge to run his hand through it like he used to. He can't help the memories and said memories create such a warmth in him that he can't prevent himself from smiling softly at her.

How they met, when he was an arrogant brat with bad people skills who had just joined their high school. How everyone avoided him at the beginning, with the exception of Marco and her. How she had managed, with her jokes and her smiles, to make him have a soft spot for her long before he started hanging out with her.

Their first kiss, during sophomore year at college, longing and desperate, relieved and grateful. Marco had survived from a horrible accident that period of time and she was always there for him, consoling him, making sure he ate and slept properly and at the same time needing his own comfort in return. They had jumped in each other's embrace at the news that Marco would make it and the kiss had happened like that, spontaneously and yet so uniquely for both of them.

Family dinners at her parents' farm, just outside the city. Warmth, laughter and parental tenderness he had never felt in his own house, where propriety, wealth and personal success mattered way more than love, compassion and friendship.

Rainy weekend mornings in her cozy apartment with the pictures on the mantelpiece, cuddling on the couch with some quiet song playing on the radio, a blanket wrapped around both of them, with a cup of hot chocolate and sleepy conversations. She would fall back asleep sometimes and he would either sleep as well or wake her up with a teasing kiss on her nose.

Stories whispered in the silence of the night when they would be snuggled together, entangled in the sheets and with him holding her close to him, feeling her breath against his face. Countless stories she loved to narrate, like promises and secrets only for him to hear, never to be written down because they belonged only to them and no one else had a right to learn them.

He even recalls their arguments right now, mostly because of his fear to show his emotions more directly or when the hatred of Jean's world became too much for them. How they would raise voices at each other, spend some hours away to calm down and then talk calmly about everything, with her sometimes pressing soothing kisses against his forehead.

Precious memories he keeps in his mind, ashes of a past he has never given up…like fragments of fragile hope that maybe nothing is over, like a book series you simply have to read the sequel to find out that the ending of the first book doesn't have the outcome you have originally imagined.

Realizing that he's been staring for far too long, Jean now gives her his sweetest smile to show her without words how happy he is to see her; and his chest swells with happiness when Sasha returns it immediately, softly and awkwardly, like back when they first met.

"Hey, Sasha, how are you?" He asks her to break the tension, despite the fact that chit-chat isn't what he has in his mind now. Right now he wishes to return everything to the way it was before, that he could spin her in his arms and kiss her without giving a damn about who's watching. "You look great."

"Same goes for you, Jean, I guess Paris suits you, huh?" She says with a small laughter, although Jean can detect the slight trembling in her voice that would go unnoticed to someone who doesn't know her that well. He wonders, with a sting of guilt, how Sasha has been emotionally this year…was his absence too difficult for her? Was she forced to listen to the rumors about him and Annie without knowing that they would never come true?

"Ah, this will always be my home, to be honest, I'm glad I'll be able to stay for the wedding."

"Cool!" Sasha grins at him and Jean feels content like he's never felt in Paris. It's rather odd, this awkwardness and yet casualty of their conversation, as if Sasha wants to tell him that she's not holding any grudges for the past, that she's honestly happy to see him.

Of course, positive feelings don't last long when Hitch gets involved.

"Hey, here you are, I was wondering where you disappeared!" She comments as she approaches them, wrapping an arm around his as if wanting to drag him away. "Come on, Annie's looking for us, it's not right to have her wait."

Jean rolls his eyes and throws Sasha an apologetic look; the brunette has turned from smiling and friendly to melancholic and uncomfortable, as if she's seeking for an excuse to leave in order to protect herself for what's hurting her. He wants to reach out for her, tell her that nothing of this is true, that he's sorry for everything, but in the end the only thing he manages to do is pull his arm away with a rough move.

"Last time I checked Annie was having fun without needing us to look after her, so I don't think she's so desperate for our company," he says to Hitch, whose eyes turn into slits at his answer as she throws a glance at Sasha. The latter raises her head at the sound of these words, something like hope being reflected in her expression.

"Oh, come on, Jean, it's not nice to just leave her on her own given how…connected our families are. Sasha, you understand of course, sweetie, right?" Hitch doesn't give up, though, and addresses the other woman with a sly smirk that's supposed to be passed as kind, but she doesn't fool anyone.

"O-Of course, it's okay." Sasha stutters as if she's on the verge of tears, although she wears a brave façade that makes Jean proud of her because, apparently, she's handling it with way more patience than he would if he were in her place. The next moment, though, the warmth he first felt upon seeing her turns into waves of shudders and heat as Sasha looks at him as if Hitch doesn't exist and puts a hand on his arm, gently stroking the spot there and smiling at him in such a playful and witty way that it's as if they never broke up. "See you around, Jean."

"Yes, see you around, Sasha," he replies with a smirk and, in a spontaneous move, takes her hand in his and kisses her knuckles with a slight bow, a gesture of respect and despair for all the wedges that have been built between them.

It's a game of theirs, has been ever since that school play in their last year, when they first started truly hanging out. They had played _A Midsummer Night's Dream,_ where Jean impersonated Demetrius and Sasha was Helena; she was so anxious at the first rehearsal that he had decided to add a playful hint to help her relax. He had approached her while she studied her lines, introduced himself with his character's name and kissed her hand, a perfect imitation of this traditional way of greeting. Sasha had been surprised at first, but then she had forgotten her nervousness, had laughed and even responded with a curtsey.

Unsurprisingly enough, the mythic and magical set of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ , where young love gets combined with the element of fairy magic, was the universe in which Sasha placed the very first story she told him, the first time they spent the night together.

It's obvious that Sasha remembers it as well, for her temporary surprise gives its place to an amused smile as she curtsies, her moves way more graceful than her first one, when she had tripped over her feet and he needed to catch her so she wouldn't fall down. Hitch is now staring at them as if she can't recognize them, but they couldn't care less; this is their very own secret, something they hold dear and, even though Jean is forced to follow his cousin, the way he winks at her passes a clear enough message.

* * *

That night, with only their friends being gathered, the day of his return, Jean had felt bold enough to show Sasha that she never left his mind, defying even his cousin and his father's orders and with the knowledge that Annie shares the same disdain for the family standards.

The night before Eren and Mikasa's engagement party, though, after having just heard a ten-minute-long speech from his father about how he should behave and avoid any 'contact with unworthy people', that's when he finds himself missing her so badly that he feels like crying. He longs for her presence more than ever, it clouds his mind; it's like a wake-up call now that his two friends are taking such an important step in their life, like he finally realizes what he truly wants in his own life.

"Hey, Annie, what's up? Listen, I need your permission for something."

When his phone call with the blonde ends, Jean already feels lighter and more determined. He almost doesn't realize how fast he ends up in front of Sasha's apartment and rings the doorbell with the impression that he's gonna faint at any moment now. But he can't hold back anymore, no matter how fragile things are between them; he's compromised long enough, it's time to take his life in his own hands and forbid everyone from controlling it.

Sasha's rubbing her eyes when she opens the door and Jean feels bad for waking her, although the sight she makes right now, with the sleepy look and her robe over her nightdress create so warm images that the smile comes automatically on his face. Her eyes widen when she sees who's visiting at such an hour and the sleepiness leaves her immediately as she steps aside to allow him in, now with a gaze of worry.

"Jean? W-What happened, is everyone okay?"

The sound of her voice, hoarse from sleeping, soft and yet so worried….she cares about everyone so much, wants to see them well even when they're away from her. He looks at her and for a moment he doesn't know how to approach her and how to tell her everything he has in mind.

Because Sasha is like fire, warm and comforting at one moment, a light in the threatening darkness, and vivid and destructive at the other, ready to make all hell break loose. A force to be reckoned with, never to be underestimated, a friend to those who treat her with care and respect, an enemy to whoever makes the mistake to underestimate her.

And he treats her just like fire, without sappy words and clichéd promises; on the contrary, he wraps his arms around her in an embrace that leaves her space enough to back away if she wants, before connecting their lips in a kiss that shatters both of them, an explosion of fiery emotions overwhelming both of them. She gasps, giving him the opportunity to deepen the kiss further, but she doesn't push him away; her arms find their way around him instead and it's so fierce that she's pinned against the closed door, with his hand cupping the back of her head so she won't hit it. It's like everything else has faded into the background and all his senses are focused entirely on her; no sounds reach his ears except their erratic heartbeats and the small breaths of air they leave between their kisses.

But when they pull away and Jean brings her closer to him, his forehead lightly pressed against hers, that's when Sasha's mind starts clearing and everything comes back in a turmoil. All the emotional pain, the dilemmas, the hurt, the torture to hear Hitch's insults and implies, all the love, the tenderness and the passion, a tsunami of feelings that doesn't let her to fully give in. She pulls away from his hug, gently, slowly, their arms still connected as a sign that it's not like she doesn't want this, but still showing her hesitation.

"What's wrong?" He wants to know in a calm, whispery voice, his breathing heavy, eyes full of concern and protectiveness that make her wish she could simply lose herself in his embrace and forget everything.

" _This_ is wrong…No, it doesn't _feel_ wrong, but…but…" Sasha sighs, not knowing how to express what she's thinking, not wanting to hurt him or create false impressions. "Annie. I…You know what I'm talking about, it's the rumor of the year, don't…"

 _Don't torture me more by forcing me to say it._

"Sasha, there's nothing with Annie, I swear, it's just a plan of our parents' that will be cleared soon. There are no feelings from either of us because we both love different people…Sasha, Annie's been dating Bertholdt for four months now." Jean reveals and Sasha's baffled expression as she simultaneously tries to breathe properly is so amusing that he almost laughs as he continues explaining. "No one knows because she's protecting him from her parents, she only told me…and she allowed me to tell you this to convince you that there's nothing we have to fear or to feel guilty about…that you're the only one in my mind."

Sasha's so perplexed from this fact that for one moment she feels like it's not her living this…that someone is playing a cruel trick on her, just like Puck in Shakespeare's play: the trickster who messed up four young people because he enchanted the wrong person. Seeing her confusion, Jean cups her face and looks her in the eyes, his gaze loving but his voice serious in order to make his point clear.

"Sasha, I'm here and I'm not planning to repeat the same mistakes…I'm not afraid of my father…Please, just give me a chance to make you happy again…to make us both happy."

She should fight more, she knows that. She should ask for more explanations, tell him he needs to make things clear with his parents before coming to her. She should push him away, ignore him, send him away, go back to sleep ignoring her own wish to constantly see him, to have him in her life.

But she can't. She simply can't. Everyone tells her how strong she is, but with him she's powerless, she simply goes with the current of her love and need for him, feels like sinking under his shining eyes that hold his own emotions for her. With him she never cared about wrong and right because how can such an intense and at the same time so fulfilling emotion ever be wrong?

"You don't need that chance, Jean." She softly says in his ear, her arms once more wrapped around him. "I've always been here."

* * *

She's fire and she engulfs them both.

Not in a destructive way exactly, Jean concludes as they get overwhelmed in each other's warmth, but it still shakes them, breaking and rebuilding them anew through tentative caresses, desperate kisses and sweet words breathed out in the darkness of her room. They barely see each other in the faint moonlight and the faded shadows, but they're unable to switch on some lamp…right now the shadows are on their side. After all, shadows are a proof that light exists and right now it's like light's flowing through them, making them light-headed as all thoughts disappear, leaving only pure, raw feelings and sensations behind, expressions of adoration they have both missed so much.

They cuddle together afterwards, Sasha's back pressed against Jean's chest, entangled together just like back then. His arm around her waist, eyes open to mark everything, kisses pressed everywhere he can reach, her head, her temple, her cheek, her neck, her shoulder, her back. Lighter pecks than the longing ones of a few minutes ago, ghosts of past touches before their forced separation, breath cooling her skin, still damp with sweat.

The night outside is busy, with car horns, music and faint chattering of people invading their ears, but to Jean it feels like _home_ , like a part of himself instead of annoying him, like the buzzing streets of Paris did when he laid alone in his apartment, lonelier than ever. And at the same time his mind travels to a farm he grew to love like a second home…home-made dinners in front of a fireplace, trips, nothing but green meadows all around, falling asleep with Sasha in his arms, in her own environment of the farm she grew up in, with the distant sound of horses neighing.

In the past, this moment right now would be the time for Sasha to start one of her stories. Endless stories, different settings, alternative universes and how they would meet and interact in them. God, she has so much fantasy, such a creative mind that she can easily become an author if she wants to; the way she narrates is so vivid that it transfers him inside those stories, whether it's the kingdom of the fairies in _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ or in the middle of a feud in _Romeo and Juliet_ 's Verona or even in more modern worlds but under different circumstances.

But for some reason, Sasha's favorite setting was a medieval-like world, an island with lands surrounded by walls, with free lands outside those walls, where they would fight monsters and people alike, enemies who wished to destroy them, losing comrades and yet still sticking together. She used to return to that story so often, adding more and more details until Jean had thought he could picture that world if he closed his eyes.

No matter how much this feels like the past, though, Jean knows it's not and he can't stop the bitterness from being added in his current state of bliss. Things have changed and, despite how Sasha opened up to him again, everything is so fleeting and fragile that he doesn't know how the world will look like in the morning. Therefore he's not surprised when that story doesn't come from her and simply resumes his previous actions, peppering her skin with feather-light pecks.

There's a tranquility in them that travels through Sasha's body with a gentleness that reminds her of the way water reaches shore; a calming sound, peaceful and natural. After all, Jean is like water, she thinks, a calm surface that relaxes everyone else as well, yet with a hidden strength that can be expressed by violent waves from time to time. He's so hesitant now as he doesn't stop his loving movements, so fearful compared to how he used to be, when he kissed her goodnight so fervently and intently, a last confession before sleep claimed her.

Right now he's like a teenage boy who has fallen in love for the first time, tender and yet so frightened that Sasha feels like laughing. She doesn't, though, because it's also so bittersweet both for him and for her…because she knows that they're not actually together, not yet anyway, and that scares her and still makes her more determined to fight for this.

"Sasha? You asleep?" He only wants to know, his words tickling her ear like summer breeze, his hand caressing the spots he's been kissing for the past minutes and he leaves a sigh when she slowly shakes her head. He won't ask her if she has any regrets, knowing how much she hates being treated like a glass doll that needs protection. She opened her arms to him with full conscience and knowing that there's still a lot to be resolved.

"Do you want me to go?" He asks her instead, pouring his trust for her in this question and showing her that right now she's the one calling the shots. After years and years of having his father decide for him, he gives up control willingly, just like that, having her comfort in mind and ready to comply to whatever she says next.

"Just…Just stay with me tonight." She tells him softly, laying her hand on his, lacing their fingers together and caressing his knuckles. Tomorrow everything will be cleared, decisions will be made and conversations will be held…for tonight, she only wants him there, with her, to forget what has hurt them and lose herself in the impression that everything's okay.

There aren't any I-love-you's from either side, but there might as well be as they kiss and fall asleep like that, a peaceful union of elements without anyone to disturb them.

* * *

As soothing and comforting last night's sleep was, as hasty is the way Sasha wakes up the next morning, disturbed by someone banging loudly on the door, the sound followed by two voices, a booming, angry one and a quieter, kinder one. She sits up abruptly, the sheet wrapped around her, and she looks startled all around, wondering who it might be before her hazel eyes settle down on Jean. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, already dressed and staring at the direction of the sound with such a fierce and angry look that Sasha is afraid that major havoc will occur.

"Apparently my dear father decided to pay us a visit. How kind of him, eh?" He comments ironically, yet he conceals his rage for Sasha's sake, sensing her being awake and knowing how much the thought of his father intimidates her. Making up his mind, he turns towards her and gently grabs her wrists, his eyes meeting hers, firm and certain. "Sasha, let me face him. You don't have to go through this too, just let me handle this."

"I don't want you to do this alone. I trust you, but I wanna help." She disagrees while lowering her gaze, thinking that she has a part of the responsibility for the situation between Jean and his family.

"Since you trust me, let me do this. It runs much deeper than you think, it's not only about the two of us…I need to face him alone."

"Okay, you go, but if things escalate I won't hesitate to come out there, got it?"

"Deal." Jean nods at Sasha's compromise and, after briefly kissing her to gain courage, goes to open the door, leaving a startled gasp when his father storms inside, followed by his mother, who has an ashamed look for coming like that.

"See? I told you we'd find the little rebel here, completely disregarding his future and all the sacrifices we've ever done for him." His father says to his mother and the despise is clear in his icy voice.

"The only thing you've ever sacrificed, father, is my own dreams about my life. A life _I'm_ leading and not you and the sooner you realize I'm not your pawn the better!" Jean exclaims with a determination he would never have in the past, but after everything that has transpired he feels ready to move mountains.

"Oh, look at the poor little boy we oppressed because we wanted the best for him. And not only you ignore us completely and chase someone who's only after your money, you persuade Miss Leonhart to play your little game as well by telling her parents she's dating a penniless man who works at a book store!"

"You really think I'd step so low to use someone for my own means? That's the way _you_ think, not me! Annie's happy with Bert, I'm happy with Sasha and you have no right to tell us what to do."

"My, my, did your little girlfriend teach you to defy those who raised you?" His father jests, looking around as if the small apartment is a hole he has no place in. "Who does she think she is, she and her parents, to manipulate you like that?"

"And who do you think _you_ are, Mr. Kirstein, to barge into my house uninvited, insult me and my family and treat your son like he's a piece of furniture?" Sasha's strong voice joins the arguments between father and son and the older man's eyes widen almost comically at the sight of the young woman approaching them and placing a hand on Jean's arm: a solid presence, comforting without trapping him.

"Well, well, look who didn't waste her time upon hearing about Jean's return. What a clever and cunning girl you are, ruining his potential when you saw the chance." For once more, the known businessman ignores his wife's attempts for a calmer conversation and stares at Sasha as if she's nothing more than a nuisance he can send away.

"Oh no, I'm not the one trying to ruin those around me, thinking that the whole world is spinning around me just because I have money and power. And the only reason I'm even talking to you is that I respect your wife and the fact that you're Jean's father." Sasha speaks in a steady voice that screams volumes, her eyes with a burning gaze like they're made of steel.

"Then I guess you'll _respect_ the fact that all privileges will be cut if he stays with you? And when the difficult times come he'll return crawling to us, girl, like always, you have no chance at winning him over."

"That's enough. Leave Sasha out of this, you hear me, this is between you and me! And I'm tired of having you interfere in my life, I never wanted your 'privileges' anyway!" Jean draws the attention back to him, although his hand is squeezing Sasha's to show his pride for her; there's her destructive fire, the one that's strong and overwhelming and stands her ground.

"Is that your final word?"

"It can't get more final than that!"

"Then you best arrange your departure from Paris as fast as possible because I'll cancel your internship right away! From this moment, you're on your own!" His father hisses and turns to leave, although he stops to look at his wife. "In five minutes we're leaving, make sure you say whatever you want to say to this disobedient creature that's my son!"

 _Son…you have no idea what being a parent means_ , Jean thinks as he watches his father leaving. _Have a real talk with Sasha's parents and then you'll find out…Strict, yes, but not oppressive and more caring than I have ever seen you towards me._

"Mom, it's fine, you can go after him, I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"Ah, your father can survive five minutes without me. Besides, I believe it's a mother's right to finally meet the one her son loves so much, right?" Mrs. Kirstein says with a laughter and looks politely at Sasha, offering her a kind smile that reminds her of her own mother. "So, you must be young Alexandra then."

"What, Alex…Jean, I've told you never to mention my birth name!" Sasha pouts and playfully nudges Jean, to which he replies with a chuckle. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Kirstein, feel free to call me Sasha."

"Beautiful names, both of them. And you're very sweet." The older woman states and, in a gesture that surprises Sasha and her son, takes the brunette's hands in hers. "I'm honestly sorry for my husband's behavior, he can be very harsh sometimes."

"Please, don't apologize for him. I just want you to know…"

"I know. Believe me, I already know. My boy wouldn't insist so much if he weren't with someone who's worth it all. And I would love to know you better sometime."

"Yeah. Likewise."

Jean now can't hold his smile back, which only becomes wider when his mom wraps them in a tight hug, caressing his back and Sasha's hair. He's still angry how she tolerates his father without any objections, but even this unconditional acceptance of Sasha is like an unexpected gift and he hugs her like he hasn't hugged her in years. His mother is truly like earth, giving life, protecting her children, making everything bloom, gentle and pure.

"We'll talk, I promise." Jean assures her when they break from the hug and he comfortingly squeezes her hand, sensing her pain now that he's truly cut off from the family. "I know father won't allow me to visit, but I'm sure we'll find a way to see each other."

"And you're welcome to come here whenever you want, I can't wait to hear embarrassing stories about Jean's childhood." Sasha adds with a giggle that Mrs. Kirstein imitates, smiling at the indirect promise that Sasha would like to know her better. Jean rolls his eyes in fake despair and he can almost bet that Sasha will use everything his mother will tell him in some future story of hers.

"I only want you both to be strong and look after each other. As long as that's the case, I'm very happy for you both."

After Jean's mother leaves, Sasha snuggles in his embrace, silently wanting to give him courage for the future, thinking that he'll need some time to process his official separation from his family and that he'll miss his mom. Jean's mind, though, has taken a completely different path, already making plans for the near future and feeling an unprecedented sense of freedom coursing through him.

Maybe, in the end, he'll grow to love Paris if he has his own special someone there.

* * *

"Wow, so you'll both go there?" Marco whistles that same night at Eren and Mikasa's engagement party, a wide smile marking his freckled face at the sight of his two friends finally being together again, with no shadows on their faces. Sasha looks more carefree than she has looked during that year, while Jean seems to be free of a burden he was carrying for a long time.

"Yeah, there are a lot of things to arrange in Paris, with the internship, with college, with my apartment, you know. And I'll have to leave in a few days if I want everything to be over before the wedding." Jean beams and hugs Sasha even closer to him, thinking that his face will break in two from all the smiling. "Doesn't mean we have to deal with all that boring stuff without some pleasant company, right?"

"Well, you two surely deserve it." Marco smiles and winks at the young woman, who hides her chuckle behind her hand. "Who'd say 'no' to a journey after all that?"

"Aha, so the rumors are true then!" Another male voice joins them and Sasha needs to bite her lips to prevent the comment that she's tired of any kind of rumors.

"Overprotective Best Friend Alert." Jean hisses at the sight of no one else than Connie Springer himself approaching them, with a supposed calm smile, although the way he looks at him could seriously render him a pile of ashes. Noticing Sasha's hesitation to leave them to talk in private, he nods at her and presses a kiss on her temple. "Come on, go, I'll be fine."

"First of all, let me make it clear that I'm really glad for you two." Connie starts when Marco and Sasha have taken their leave. "But if she sheds one tear because of you, just one, I swear, I'll—"

"You won't." Jean assures him and looks at the joyous atmosphere all around. Eren is being hugged by his smiling parents, while Mikasa talks with her grumpy cousin Levi and his wife Hanji; Annie returns his glare and smiles at him, finally happy for once and with Bertholdt by her side, enthusiastic that they're open about their relationship; Hitch, surprisingly enough, is cheerful and with an honest smile instead of her sarcastic one as she dances with Marlowe, the guy apparently giving her a chance; and, in the end, his eyes are locked with Sasha's, who's talking with Marco and Krista, unable to hide her own happiness. "You won't." He repeats and Connie pats his back, truly believing him.

A year later, when Jean and Sasha announce their own engagement and Connie spots small tears in the latter's eyes, he reconsiders and says that it's fine if Sasha sheds a tear because of Jean, as long as it's from joy.

* * *

 **A/N: According to the official Attack on Titan Wiki, Sasha's name is short for "Alexandra", so I decided to put it in the story as an extra touch! And I have to admit I loved writing Jean and Hitch as the classical pair of bickering cousins...although I seriously have no idea why I keep picturing Jean's dad as a total douchebag :P Anyway, that was it for now, folks, hope you liked the story and stay tuned for more :D**


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